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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Dark chocolate is my husband’s first love when it comes to the
type of chocolate. So I got this easy recipe from “The White Ramekins” that
just popped up on my Instagram feed on Valentine’s Day. It has all the perfect
elements to make this lava cake decadent. It is rich, chocolaty and gooey
inside!! There is espresso and dark chocolate infused perfectly in this
dessert. You can add peanut butter as per the original recipe if you wish to
give that perfect salty texture as well. So if you are a peanut butter fan you
should click here for the original recipe from “The White Ramekins”. It’s easy
and quick to make… it has few ingredients and requires a few ramekins or
custard cups. This is that perfect dessert for that
romantic night or just to treat yourself after a long day or a hectic week! My
only regret is that I couldn’t photograph the chocolate lava running out of
the cake to give you the complete picture. Nevertheless do try out this no fail
recipe and let me know how it turns out!

2.Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan
over low heat and stir until the chocolate and butter are smooth.

3.In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg
yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and espresso powder. Then fold in the chocolate
mixture. Once the chocolate mixture is blended well, then fold in plain flour
to combine gently.

4.Pour the mixture into prepared pudding moulds
until it is just covered.

5.Place moulds on a baking tray and bake for
about 10-15 minutes. The cakes
should be firm on the outside and dry on top, but still a bit wobbly in the
center.

6.Gently run a knife around the cakes to loosen
from the mould and flip onto a plate and dust with cocoa powder.

Tips:

·Garnish with strawberries or raspberries.

·Serve it with whipped cream, ice cream or
ganache instead of cocoa powder

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Art is such a beautiful and universal language that is understood by all. It is a
perfect medium to stimulate creativity and promote culture and what better way
to send out a message to the world through colours! Kathryn Wilson, a dubai based
artist creates harmony using different hues of blues and white in her
paintings. I was drawn towards her painting displayed at Sununu Muscat, while I
was attending a workshop there. Her work is expressive, vibrant and there is
tranquility reflecting in all her art pieces. Most of her art work displays a perfect balance of swirling motion, colour
and light. And her love for the sea is reflected in most of her paintings.

Let’s browse through her work and hear more from Kathyrn
about her journey with art.

A brief about yourself

Originally from the Lake District UK, I spent my childhood
growing up in Dubai. In 1998 I returned to the Lake District to continue my
studies before completing a degree in Fine Art at Oxford University. In 2005 I
moved to South East Asia to travel and work for a couple of years. I began
painting with oils during this time, returning to work and live in Dubai in
2008. In 2016 I had a solo exhibition with FN Designs Gallery in Alserkal
Avenue, Dubai. My husband and I are now renovating our house in Kendal and have
just had a baby girl.

How did your journey as an artist
begin? Did you have any formal training or is it self taught?

Looking back I think I was first inspired by sketches &
letters that my grandmother would post me. She always had a cellar full of
paints, brushes and paper for my sisters and I to use when we would visit her
each summer. My father loves photography and I would spend hours looking
through his photo albums and slides. We used to joke about all the rocks and
trees he would photograph, then I found myself doing the same! When I finished
school I studied an Art Foundation and went on to complete a degree in Fine
Art.

Clean lines and translucent layers of colour in a circular
format have become my signature style, with a love for cyan, indigo, turquoise
and pure white. I am interested in Art for positive change and continue to look
for ways of advocating this.

My work focuses on the force and beauty of water, exploring
the use of light in each abstract painting. The ultimate traveller, water plays
a vital role in everyday life. It wanders the globe and without it we would not
survive. Trips along the coast inspire me, as does exploring wadis that are so
beautifully sculpted by water. Photography is a useful starting point but I
believe imagination and interpretation are key. I like not knowing where I am
going with the work, each painting presents fresh challenges and a new way of
considering the subject.

What is the most challenging aspect
about your work?

The greatest challenge is usually making a start to a
painting. Once the ball is rolling things tend to flow quite smoothly from
there.

What is your creative process like? and
what keeps you motivated?

I keep an ongoing moleskin journal of notes and drawings.
Visiting galleries, sketching, reading and taking photographs keeps me
motivated. I stretch and prime my own canvases in a home studio, collecting new
colours, materials and brushes to work with.

Do you commission different projects?
And how can people purchase your paintings?

I usually sell my work via galleries, a selection of
paintings & prints are currently available to buy in Dubai & Muscat. I
do take on commissions if there is a synergy between what the client is looking
for & the style / ethos of what I do. Examples of previous clients &
collaborations are on www.ka8z.com

What is your favorite art piece that
you have done till date?

‘Flow’ is a large circular oil painting (115cm wide) that I
created for my solo exhibition ‘Saturate’ in 2016. It is probably my favourite
because of it’s smooth layers & soothing colour palette. This piece
signified a turning point for the collection and I hope to develop more work of
this scale in the future.

Any tips or words of wisdom to aspiring
artists who want to pursue a similar career?

Words of advice I would give to young aspiring artists would
be to consider the authenticity of their work and their personal journey as an
artist. Seek to learn ALL of the time and try not to be put off by
disappointments along the way.

Monday, February 12, 2018

I read somewhere that “home is never a place but always a
feeling… forget the roof and shelter – home is a beating heart, a warm touch
and a reflection of the owner’s soul”… Isn’t it true? That is exactly what I felt
as I browsed through Karishma’s beautiful home… It was a reflection of her
soul, personality, her tastes and full of character. I personally love the
beautiful mix of different culture and her love for Asian décor. Her home reflects her love to art, colour,
travel and textiles. Her décor is accentuated with fresh flowers, books and numerous
artifacts from around the world. Her outdoor space is beautiful where I can
just sit with a bottomless glass of wine and just unwind and read a book.

Lets hear more from Karishma and learn more about her source
of inspiration and browse through her beautiful home!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My family’s ancestral roots are from Jodhpur but I was
born and brought up in Mumbai. I have studied commercial arts and have worked
in various ad agencies before moving to Gurgaon after my marriage. We spent
many years in Gurgaon where I worked with a design and marketing consulting
company, post which we moved to Singapore for a few years. I currently live in
San Francisco along with my husband and two year old daughter.

What is your décor style?

Passion and interest for home décor runs in the family.
Both my mother and my mother in law have great taste in décor. My mother in law
is an artist herself and makes fantastic Tanjore painting, some of which adorn
our house. My husband and I admire artifacts, many of which we have collected
during our travels & vacations.

The décor of our home is influenced by Asian themes, be
it trinkets from a small flea market in Bali; pineapple based decorative from
Hawaii, Malay influenced designs from KL, terracotta warriors from China or an
exclusive designer piece from Singapore. I love colors! For me colors play a
very important role in making a setup look beautiful and lively. A good balance
of colors, décor and furniture can enhance any dull corner of your home.

I love anything ethnic with an Asian décor and style. I
feel they are colorful, traditional and vibrant. Hence, you will see them in
all corners of my home. Cute little things are my favorite, I collects
them from wherever I can.

Your favorite space.

My favorite corner in my home is my front porch and my
garden where I enjoy my daily cup of tea in the beautiful California weather. I
love playing with my daughter in the garden.

Any tips for our décor lovers out there?

A beautiful home always demands cleanliness.. my
décor tips are fresh flowers (always work and bring positivity and
happiness), good use of prints, and enjoy experimenting!

Thank you Karishma for opening your beautiful home for us and giving us tons of inspiration to take away!

Please click here if you wish to follow Karishma on Instagram. If any of you would like to share your space and showcase it on Tickled by Inspirations, please email me at tbinspirations@gmail.com .

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Bougainvillea is a gorgeous plant that thrives in any
weather. It is low maintenance and adds so much of colour to your garden. My garden has this gorgeous pink bougainvillea
and I had to find a way to bring that pink indoors. So I rearranged and restyled one of my
living room side tables and paired the flowers with a plain white Japanese ceramic teapot and
it looked gorgeous. The only disadvantage with these flowers is it withers away
very quickly. So even if you put it in water, it will stay for just one or 2
days. Nevertheless I think it’s a great way to bringing in beauty, drama for
that instant happiness and enhance your décor even if it’s just for one or two
days.

Have a look at the following pictures on how I styled with
my favorite curios.

What do you think of my side table décor ? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Books have always been an integral part of my life. I love
books … to read… to touch and it’s one of my stress busters. Do you remember
the moment you fell in love with reading? Mine started with a series of Enid Blyton
books… Famous Five series and Nancy Drew. I remember reading past my bed time
with my bedside lamp on and taking my book to the restroom with so much of
anticipation. Do you remember yours?

I am not happy
that my reading has come down drastically. I do read on the net but that’s not
how it used to be. We all got so busy with our own routine and we are all
evolving and moving in a very different direction. In this technology driven
world I pray that our kids will have the same passion for reading a book. Because this is what will help them to think
out of the box! And I know this will happen only when we set an example and
read. I am quite active on social media promoting my blog, artists and other
inspirations. And while I continue to do that I took a conscious decision last month
to read more … or at least one book every month and also read with my little
one. What are your thoughts? Please email me a picture of a book that you are reading
or you recently finished with reviews. (email: tbinspirations@gmail.com ) I will gladly share it on Tickled by Inspirations wall. It is also a
way to inspire others to read. Happy Sunday and Happy reading!!

About Me

I am Rachel, based in Oman. My Blog is all about things that I am passionate about, interiors and celebration of design. I never realized that my obsession for home décor, food and other interests would lead me to writing a blog. I hope my blog is filled with pictures and websites that you can access easily and give you a global feel with my handpicked collections. Please drop a mail to tbinspirations@gmail.com if you wish to get in touch or comment.